Health

Colorado doctors assured they can share fracking info to help patients

Colorado oil and gas industry regulators have given medical community leaders a written assurance that doctors can obtain and share trade-secret information about fracking chemicals for the purpose of treating patients and protecting public health.

Colorado Medical Society president Dr. Jan Kief said the letter from Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission chairman Thomas Compton addresses concerns raised by doctors and the medical society who feared that signing a confidentiality pledge kept them from sharing information with other medical professionals.

Doctors still are required to fill out a Form 35 confidentiality pledge before obtaining information on fracking chemicals. In return, they can share information with patients, other health care professionals and with public health agencies, Compton said in his April 9 letter to Kief.

The letter follows negotiations among the COGCC, CDPHE and the Colorado Medical Society to address doctors' concerns, which prompted a medical society resolution.

Gov. John Hickenlooper has backed a public disclosure rule requiring oil and gas companies to list chemicals they use in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, on a website. However, companies are not required to list chemicals claimed to be trade secrets. While the millions of gallons companies inject during drilling are mostly water mixed with sand, a small portion consists of chemicals designed to coax oil and gas from underground rock.

The Form 35 obligates doctors who sign it "to hold confidential all Trade Secret Information obtained" from companies and "not to make use of it for purposes other than medical diagnosis, treatment or other health needs."

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Doctors on Colorado's Western Slope had raised concerns that Form 35 did not protect them sufficiently and could impede the flow of information needed to treat patients and protect public health.

Kief said the letter addresses those concerns.

"I know that fracking has been done in many states for a long time," Kief said. "But I feel that transparency like this, and a process in place, is very important in light of the fact that we are forging ahead to make Colorado the healthiest state."